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Govt allows export of 20 lakh tonnes of wheat
RS attempt to rein in unruly
MPs fails in first attempt
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Protesting TDP MP faints
Boy falls into borewell, rescue work in progress
Congress, NCP to begin seat-sharing talks
Nod to explosive-handling procedure in Maoist areas
Beheading of five girls
SC relief for Maya in assets case
Infiltration unabated at Indo-Bangla border
Statehood demand
Now, a party to fight for Rayalaseema
AP extends ban on CPI (Maoist)
Suicide by prisoner triggers clash in UP jail; probe ordered
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Govt allows export of 20 lakh tonnes of wheat
The approval came at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Manmohan Singh. According to the information released by the government, wheat export has been allowed from the Central pool stock of FCI subject to a floor price of $300 per metric tonne through Central public sector undertakings (CPSUs) like the STC, MMTC and PEC. Similar procedure will be followed for this export as was done earlier for the export of 45 lakh tonnes of wheat. These exports are to be completed by March 31, 2014. The CCEA approved reimbursement of loss to FCI on account of the exports calculated as the difference between the economic cost to the corporation and its realisation from the exporting CPSUs after deduction of their commission of 1.5 per cent of FOB price and the actual port expenses. The CCEA also approved the setting up of already appraised 12 new mega food park projects as per the 11th Plan pattern of assistance where capital grant at the rate of 50 per cent of the eligible project cost in general areas and at the rate of 75% of eligible project cost in difficult and hilly areas of the North-Eastern region, including Sikkim, J&K, HP, Uttarakhand and ITDP-notified areas of the states. The grant would be subject to a maximum of Rs 50 crore per project. The mega food parks scheme will be implemented with an allocation of Rs 1,714 crore during the 12th Plan. The prescribed timeline for project implementation in respect of mega food parks is 30 months from the date of issue of final approval. The implementation of the scheme of integrated cold chain, value addition and preservation infrastructure during the 12th Plan with an overall plan allocation of Rs 786 crore, including Rs 460 crore for 75 new projects according to the existing pattern of assistance of the scheme, was also approved by the CCEA.
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RS attempt to rein in unruly
MPs fails in first attempt
New Delhi, August 8 Crying discrimination, members of the main Opposition party — the BJP — remained absent from the House till the time an assurance was given by Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien that the matter was being “reconsidered”. With around 44 crucial legislations, including the food security Bill, pending and time running out fast, the Congress had no choice but to intervene and resolve the issue that was holding the House even after Defence Minister AK Antony’s clarification on the LoC killings. After the House resumed post-lunch, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kamal Nath raised the issue of the BJP’s walkout with Kurien. After that, his Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla personally escorted the angry BJP members back into the House, thus ending the impasse. The rest of the Opposition parties rallied behind the BJP, holding the House by its absence. The AIADMK, CPM, SP, BSP and AGP insisted that it would not be proper to conduct important legislative business in the absence of the main Opposition party and its allies. A statement issued by Ansari’s office later said: “In view of the minister’s suggestion and taking into account the anguish and sentiments of the members, I would like to inform the House that the matter will be reconsidered.” Interestingly, the list largely included BJP members who had stormed the Well yesterday to protest against Antony’s “contradictory” statement and the two TDP leaders demonstrating for a united Andhra. The BJP leaders were clear that they would continue to boycott the House till the bulletin naming its members was withdrawn. Ruling out any cooperation with the government, senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu said outside the House that there was no question of any cooperation with the government. “We have seen clearly that this government is partisan and vindictive. They cannot expect any support from us on any issue,” he said. What made the BJP see red was that not a single Congress leader had been named in any such list. Quoting instances when a member from the ruling party entered the Well and tore the women’s reservation Bill, Naidu questioned: “Why do we have this discrimination? Where is this procedure decided? Was it referred to the Rules Committee? I am unable to understand this.” Najma Heptullah, a former Deputy Chairman of the House, insisted that “it has never happened before”. Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said the bulletin did not name the ruling party member who menacingly marched towards a member of a supporting party and another member who was in the Well over the Telangana issue. Name & shame
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Protesting TDP MP faints
New Delhi, August 8 Shouting slogans against the division of Andhra Pradesh and holding a placard for saving the state, Ramesh fainted at around 2.50 pm. His party colleague YS Chowdhary was with Ramesh in the Well of the House when he fainted. At that time, a discussion was under way on the Companies Bill and SP Singh Baghel from the BSP was speaking. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien immediately adjourned the House for 10 minutes. Members from both the Treasury benches as well as Opposition parties rushed to help Ramesh. Ramesh had been protesting in the Well of the House since the beginning of the day against the division of Andhra
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Boy falls into borewell, rescue work in progress
Jaipur, August 8 Rescue operation is going on in full swing. An emergency team has been summoned from the state capital to assist the rescue works, Singh said. Three JCB machines and one big L&T machine (digger) are working round the clock to save the boy, the SP said. The incident took place when the boy along with his mother went to field to feed cattle. Later, while playing he fell down into the borewell, he said. Chotu’s mother heard cries of the child and alarmed other people working in the field, he added. —
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Congress, NCP to begin seat-sharing talks
Mumbai, August 8 In the last Lok Sabha poll, the Congress had contested 26 seats leaving 22 of the 48 parliamentary seats to its regional ally. Of these, the national party had won 16 while the NCP bagged just nine. This time relations between the two outfits have frayed with state-level leaders like Ajit Pawar of the NCP and several others from the Congress camp trading insults. The Congress has also managed to wrest the Sangli civic body from its ally in the local body elections last month adding to tension between the two outfits. Congress leaders here say they are in no mood to yield more ground to the regional ally in the Lok Sabha polls. “We are demanding at least 30 seats since the NCP is losing ground,” a Congress leader said here. NCP leaders are, however, adamant about not giving up any seat to its national ally though they have resigned to the fact that the Congress may put pressure on its leaders to swap more seats. The Congress is eyeing more seats in the sugar belt and may exchange some seats with the NCP elsewhere in the state. |
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Nod to explosive-handling procedure in Maoist areas
New Delhi, August 8 The Ministry of Home Affairs had instructed the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BRP&D) to get standard operating procedures (SOP) prepared by an expert group on issues related to explosives, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and landmines in Maoist-affected areas. The expert group consists of officers from the state police forces, Central Reserve Police Force, National Security Guard, BPR&D and the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO), which is the authority responsible for tracking explosives to prevent its leakage and misuse. The expert group had conducted three meetings, the last one being in April this year. The SOP was approved by the government after the last meeting. The SOP to prevent the leakage and misuse of explosives mentions that PESO has developed a mechanism for tracking the explosives from the manufacturer to the PESO-licensed end user. The manufacturers and users — possessing licences for their explosive magazines — upload the indents and delivery challans on the PESO website peso.gov.in when a transaction takes place. So, the data of all transactions of explosives is uploaded on the PESO database that can be verified. The PESO tracking module automatically sends alerts to the Superintendents of Police (SP) of the places of the origin and the destination of the explosives. Alerts are also sent to the SPs of the districts falling en route of the convoy carrying explosives. The District Magistrates and SPs of each district are given a username and password to monitor the movement of the explosives through the PESO website. The SOP states that it is mandatory for the consignor of explosives to inform the police, in whose jurisdiction the magazine is located, about the dispatch of the explosives. This has to be done 24 hours prior to sending the explosives to the user. It is also mandatory for the licence holders of the vans to verify the antecedents of the drivers and cleaners transporting the explosives. A police escort should be given to the van carrying the explosives when it is passing through an area that has been defined as “disturbed” by the MHA.
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Apex court stays father’s execution
R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, August 8 A Bench comprising Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjana Desai passed the order on a PIL filed by the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) seeking a “fair, just and reasonable procedure” that would enable such convicts to avail of all legal remedies after the rejection of their mercy pleas. The PUDR moved the SC yesterday seeking a stay on the execution of Maganlal Barela scheduled for today. The CJI heard the urgent plea at his residence last night and stayed the execution for a day which was immediately conveyed to the prison authorities in Jabalpur. The CJI Bench heard the PIL in the open court again today and stayed the execution till further orders. The trial court had awarded the death sentence on February 3, 2011, holding that he was found guilty of beheading his daughters Leela (6), Savita (5), Arti (4), Phool Kanwar (2) and Jamuna (1) with an axe following a quarrel with his two wives on June 11, 2010, in MP’s Sehora district. The PUDR has pleaded that death row convicts should be given 60 days’ time to challenge the rejection of their mercy pleas. The prisoner and a person of his choice should be immediately informed about the rejection. “There should be certainty in application of this procedure and it should be uniformly exercised in cases of all death row prisoners.” Sufficient notice of the date of execution was necessary to enable the prisoner’s family members to make arrangements to travel to the prison located in a distant place and meet the prisoner for the last time, the PIL pleaded.
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SC relief for Maya in assets case
New Delhi, August 8 “We find that there is no material within the parameters of review jurisdiction to go into the earlier order dated July 6, 2012,” a Bench comprising Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Dipak Misra held while disposing of a review petition filed by Kamlesh Verma, intervener in the case. On May 1 this year, the Bench had clarified that it had quashed CBI’s corruption case against Mayawati on a technical ground and hence this would not prevent the agency from registering a fresh case against her. The SC had quashed the case, pointing out that it had not directed the registration of the case against her as claimed by the CBI. “The CBI exceeded its jurisdiction in lodging” an FIR against her on October 5, 2003, the Bench had ruled while allowing a petition by Mayawati seeking quashing of the case. The CBI had contended that it had registered the FIR on the basis of an apex court order on September 18, 2003. The SC had passed the order on a PIL alleging a scam involving the release of Rs 17 crore without proper sanction for the Taj Heritage Corridor Project under the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) area at Agra. In today’s verdict, the SC clarified that the review petitioner had not pointed out any aspect that had been ignored by it earlier. Review petitions would be maintainable only if there was any mistake or error apparent on the face of the record and discovery of a new and important matter or evidence which could not be produced earlier, it ruled.
What the court said
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Infiltration unabated at Indo-Bangla border
Guwahati, August 8 Insufficient BSF posts and lack of proper flood lighting arrangement in many parts along the frontier also pose problem in checking infiltration of Bangladeshis. The BSF, however, claims that infiltration was on a declining trend. According to a senior BSF official in Guwahati Frontier of the border sentinel force, the BSF men manning India-Bangladesh apprehended 412 Bangladeshis who tried to sneak into India side through the border during the period from October 1, 2011, till date. The official said most of these infiltration attempts took place in Coochbehar and Falakata sectors on Guwahati Frontier under the BSF vigil. These two sectors have several unfenced portions along the border. The length of the India-Bangladesh border under Guwahati Frontier of the BSF is 495 km and it has three sectors - Dhubri (134 km), Coochbehar (176 km) and Falakata (15 km). The BSF source said touts were active of both sides of the border to supply cheap labourers from Bangladesh side to Indian side. He said labourers from Bangladesh once inside India are immediately sent out to construction sites in other parts of the country like Bharatpur in Rajasthan, Gaziabad, Haryana, Delhi etc. These illegal migrants from Bangladesh are made to cross the border in very small groups to dodge the vigil of the BSF. During questioning of such apprehended Bangladeshi infiltrators, the BSF has found out that the touts take about Rs 300 to Rs 1,000 per head while facilitating crossing over to the Indian side. They are made to cough up Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per head to the touts while crossing the border stealthily to Bangladesh from their work place in India. A source said the BSF was having a very tough job at hand in keeping vigil along the riverine portions of the border along the Brahmaputra in Dhubri sector.
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2nd self-immolation bid in Darjeeling
Darjeeling, August 8 The GJM supporter, Purba Sherpa, a 32-year-old physically challenged person, who was in a procession set himself alight near the Chowk bazar, police sources said. The other GJM supporters hastily put out the flames and rushed Sherpa to the Darjeeling Sadar Hospital. Sherpa sustained 55 per cent burns, the sources said. Earlier, a 45-year-old GJM supporter, Mangal Kumar Rajput, had set himself alight at the Dambarchowk in Kalimpong town on July 30 and died of his burns at a hospital in Siliguri on August 3. A group of children with their wrists and ankles chained and women members of the GJM with shaved heads took out a silent procession near the district magistrate's office. Slogan-shouting GJM supporters blocked roads in all the three hill subdivision of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. — PTI
Now, a party to fight for Rayalaseema
Hyderabad, August 8 Christened as “Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samithi” (RPS), the new outfit will mobilise public opinion and strive for formation of separate Rayalaseema state comprising four districts of Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittoor. Former Telugu Desam Party legislator Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy, who has been in the forefront of the fight for Rayalaseema cause for the last one year, launched the party and said it would also fight for total prohibition in the region. “The people of Rayalaseema are opposed to the region being clubbed with coastal Andhra after bifurcation. They want a separate state,” Reddy, a two-time MLA said.
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AP extends ban on CPI (Maoist)
Hyderabad, August 8 "The government has reviewed the matter and is of the opinion that the Communist Party of India (Maoist) is continuing to indulge in unlawful activities," a Government Order (GO) issued by the Chief Secretary said here. — PTI
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Suicide by prisoner triggers clash in UP jail; probe ordered Lucknow, August 8 According to a government spokesman, the deputy jailer and five constables have been transferred and a high-level inquiry ordered into the incident. Principal Secretary (Home) RM Srivastava said the probe would be conducted by Additional Commissioner Kanpur Rajiv Sharma and Additional IG Akhtar Riyaz. The committee would file its report in three days. Kamlesh, a resident of the Thadia area in the district, who was lodged in the jail hanged himself in barrack number 3 late last night using his “lungi”, police sources said. As soon as fellow inmates came to know about the incident, they clashed with the deputy jailer and other guards and also indulged in vandalism, sources said. Protesting inmates climbed on to the prison roof and raised slogans. Jailer Satyendra informed the authorities after which District Magistrate Rupesh Kumar and Superintendent of Police Subhash Shakya reached the jail along with a huge police force. To control the situation, the police resorted to baton charge in which several inmates were injured. District Magistrate Rupesh Kumar has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and transferred five jail staff, including the Deputy Jailer OP Singh.
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Vociferous protests by a united Opposition today forced Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari to reconsider his decision to name 22 members in a parliamentary bulletin for “gross disorderly conduct in violation of rules and etiquettes” — a first-of-its-kind name-and-shame practice started by the Elders’ House to deter members from trooping into the Well and disrupting proceedings.
New Delhi, August 8
In February 2006, Maoists raided an explosive storage facility of the government-controlled National Mineral Development Corporation at Hiroli in
Dantewada, Chhattisgarh